Winding machine



N. E. KLEIN WINDING MACHINE Feb. 9, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 7,1949 NQRMHN E. 'KLElN BY V @%MZZ ATTORNEY N. E. KLEIN WINDING MACHINEFeb. 9, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 7, 1949 NORMHN E KLEIN aux/v4.

ATTORNEY INVENTOR N. E. KLEIN WINDING MACHINE Feb. 9; 1954 3Sheets-Sheet Filed Dec. 7, 1949 lNVENTOR NORMQN E. KLE\N W ATTORNEYPatented Feb. 9, 1954 WINDING MACHINE Norman E. Klein, Stamford, Conn.,assignor to Deering Milliken Research Trust, Greenwich,

Conn.

Application December 7, 1949, Serial No. 131,538

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to textile winding machines, moreparticularly to machines known as Winding Machine and comprises a novelmachine of this character that may be efficiently operated at speedssubstantially higher than those at which redraw machines heretofore inuse have been operated and that winds firm uniform packages. Theinvention comprises also a novel method of winding 2. bobbin that may bepractised on the new machine and a new type of package that may beformed thereon, the package being so wound as to minimize any tendencyof the yarn to slough off from the sides thereof.

An important feature of the new machine is an endless belt, one edge ofwhich guides the yarn to the take-up bobbins and the contour of whichprovides the desired traversing action and determines the shape of thecompleted package.

Another feature of the new machine is the vertical mounting of thespindles carrying the take-up bobbins, permitting safe operation of themachine at high rates of spindle rotation.

An optional feature of the machine is the means for cyclically varyingthe rate of travel of the traverse belt which prevents ridges or hillingin the wound package by eliminating tracking.

Other features of the invention will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 are side and plan views, respectively, partly in section,of a vertical redraw frame embodying the invention;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail view on an enlarged scale showing a belt contouredfor winding a tapered package;

Figs. 4a. and 4b are views illustrating steps in the method of winding abobbin on the machine of Figs. 1 to 3 when a belt of the contour of Fig.4 is employed, Fig. la showing the initial layer of yarn on the bobbinand Fig. 4b the completed package;

Fig. 5 is a detail view similar to Fig. 4 and showing a belt suitablycontoured for winding a cylindrical package and Fig. 6 is a fragmentaryview in perspective of a protective shield for the traverse belt,suitable for use with the machine of Figs. 1 to 3.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the new redraw frame is mounted on a pair oflongitudinal rails 2 interconnected at each end of the frame by an endplate 4. An upright frame member 6 is secured to each end plate 4 andsupports at its upper end a second or upper end plate c which in turn bygearing 9,4, shaft 92 being mounted in suitable .tudinal rails l2supports two spindle rails l0. Also supported by the upright framemembers 6 are two longi- A cross bar M which is secured to the rails l2near one end of the frame, supports an upper bearing l6 for the driveshaft it of the frame, the lower bearing for the shaft being carried bya cross support 28 mounted on the rails 2.

Fixedly secured to the drive shaft I8 are two pulleys, 22 and 24, theformer being adapted to be coupled by a belt to a suitable drive motor(not shown), and the latter being coupled by means of a belt 25 to apulley 28 fixed on the lower end of a spindle drive shaft 30. Shaft 30,which is suitably mounted in bearings carried by upper and lowersupports 32 and 33 secured, respectively, to the spindle rail l0 andplate 8, carries at its upper end a spindle drive pulley 3Q. Spindles 35are rotatably mounted in suitable bearings in the spindle rails in andare driven from the pulley 34 by means of an endless belt 38, suitableidler pulleys 40 being mounted on the spindle rails adjacent thespindles to guide the drive belt into engagement with the spindles.

At one end of the frame a relatively large pulley 42 is mounted on ashaft 44. The shaft 44 is rotatably mounted in a bearing housing 43supported by a cross plate 48 secured to the longitudinal rails l2. Theshaft 44 is driven from the spindle drive shaft 30, and preferably thespeed ratio of the shafts M and 3B is cyclically varied by means now tobe described. A variable pitch pulley 50 is mounted on the shaft 30 andcoupled by a belt 52 to a pulley 54 rotatably mounted on a stub shaft56. Shaft 56 is carried by a horizontally disposed change gear arm 58which in turn is mounted on a sleeve 60 concentric with the shaft 44 andfixed to the plate 48. The arm 58 supports a second stub shaft 62 uponwhich are mounted gears 64 and 66 which mesh, respectively, with a gear68 on shaft 44 and a gear ID integral with the pulley 54 on stub shaft56. The pitch of pulley 50 on shaft 30 is cyclically varied by means ofa cam 12 which engages a shoe M fixed to a rod 18, the lower end ofwhich bears upon the plate of the variable pitch pulley 50. The rod 18is supported in a bracket 82 carried by the bearing support 33. A coiledspring 84 about the rod 18 maintains the shoe M in contact with the cam12. Cam 12 is fixedly mounted on a horizontal shaft 86 which is mountedin bearings carried by the longitudinal rails l2 and carries a gear 88.Gear 88 is driven by a worm gear 90 secured to a horizontal shaft 92driven from the main shaft I 8 bearings secured to one longitudinal railI2. Thus during operation of the frame, shaft 44 is continuously drivenfrom shaft 30 and the ratio of rate of rotation of shaft 44 to that ofshaft 3!] is cyclically varied through a small range.

A large idler pulley 35' is mounted at the other end of the frame onstub shaft 88' rotatably mounted in a bearing carried by a plate I09,.the plate being so mounted on the rails I2 as to per mit adjustment ofits position longitudinally of the frame. The belt I02, the contour ofwhich provides the traversing action of bobbins carried. by the spindlesand determines the shape of' the completed package, encompasses thepulleys 42 and 96, being driven by the former and driving. the latter. Adisk Hi4 having an annular groove for reception of the lower edge of thetraverse belt IE2, is rotatably mounted on a horizontal shaft. LES-carried by one rail I2, and serves to guide and position the. belt asitapproaches the pulley d2. A similar guide disk I88 is provided on theother side of the frame for guiding and positioning the belt as itapproaches the pulley 96.

Supported above the rails. I2, as by struts H39. (see Fig. 3) is aplatform IIfl which extends the. length of the frame between the pulleys42 and 96 and mounted on this platform are yarn guide and tensioningdevicesand. a suitable creel for the supply packages of the yarn tobewound. In. the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated thedrawings, av longitudinal rod H2 is. supported above the platform IN] byuprights I I4 and the supply packages II 6 are mounted on pegs. H8secured to the rod H2 and suitably spaced there along. Pigtail guides I29 are mounted inpairs. on rods I22 carried by the rod IIZ: intermediatethe p gs H8. Yarn drawn off over-end from. a supply package passesthrough the eyes of the associated guides i 20 and thenthrough guidesI24 and a tension device I26, both suitably positioned on the platformH9, through a second. guide i2? also mounted on the platform, over theguiding edge of the traverse belt I 92 to one of the bobbins I28 on thespindles 35.

The'tension devices. #25 are indicatedinthe draw- L ings: as oftheweighted disk. type, but other conventional types of additive:tension devices could be employediif desired.

The: tension devices F28 and associated guides I24 and i2 7 arepreferably positioned adjacent the sides of the platform. Hi1, thosealong one side serving to guide and. tension yarn delivered to bobbinson spindles on the other side of the frame. This arrangement provides, arelatively long free path for the yarn. prior: to its passage over thetraverse-belt and, thus minimizes tension variations during traverse;

It is important that each end of yarn be so guided in. its path to andover the." contour belt to its respective take-up bobbin thatdeflections of the pathin the directionlof; belt travel be avoided whilevertical shifting of the path, in accordance with the contour of thebelt, be permitted; Vertical guiderods I 29=are positioned on theplatform III} adjacent the belt to so guide the yarn to the belt andtake-up bobbins. The position of a guide rod F29 with reference to itsadjacent bobbinfI28' is important for optimum winding. Preferably, asindicated. in the drawings, the rod is so positioned that the yarn pathfrom the rod to an empty bobbin substantially perpendiculartothedirection of travel of the belt.

A convenient arrangement which provides suitable control of the yarnpath and at the same time serves to protect the operator of the machinefrom accidental contact with the rapidly travelling traverse belt I92 isshown in Fig. 6. In this arrangement the belt I02 is enclosed within ashield I38 of sheet steel or the like which is mounted on a series ofcross members I32 supported by the upper longitudinal rails I2 of theframe. In the shield adjacent. each spindle position is a vertical slotI34 having rounded edges serving in lieu of the guide rods I29 to guidethe yarn and. to prevent horizontal deflection of its path. Preferablythe inner and outer walls of the shield it!) are connected together neartheir upper edges between the slots I34 by removable spacers I36 topermit ready substitution of a belt of different contour, Guards I 38are also provided for the terminal pulleys 42 and 96 and these also arepreferably constructed so as to be readily removable for change of belt.

In order to permit dofiing and. replenishing of individual bobbinswithout shutdown of the frame; aseparate spindle brake is provided, at

each spindle position. Each brake comprises a.

block hill of friction material having a concave surface: adapted. to bebrought into contact with the flange Hi2 oi the spindle whorl to brakethe spindle. The block M0 is mounted on a. U-shaped plate member I44,which in turn is mounted for limited pivotal motion about the axes. ofrods I45 brazed to the under surfacethereof. The rods I46 extend:inwardly from the arms of the u-shaped member I44 and. enter diametralslots in a ring I48 encompassing a spindle, the ring I48 and. rods I46resting on the spindle. rail l0. Depending from the legs of each memberI44 and preferablyformed integralatherewith, isa-n. apron. I58 forengagement by the knee of an operator,. pressure on the apron I50rocking the member I44 aboutv the axes of. the rods I46 and bringing thebraking surface of block. I40 into engagement with flange: M2. Thebobbins I28 rest on shoulders or flanges I52 on the spindles 36- andthese shoulders, asbest shown in Fig. 2, are preferably triangular inhorizontal section to permit the engagement of the under surfaceof thelower flange ofthe bobbin by the fingers of the operator when dofiing.This construction avoids thenecessity' for handling of the delicate yarnon the bobbin and thus. minimizes damage. or soiling of the" yarn.

As heretofore indicated the contour of the traverse belt I92 determinesthe shape ofthe completed package. Fig. 4a illustrates a suitablecontour of belt for use in winding a package of the shape illustrated inFig. 4b. To wind. such package the upper portion thereof is traversedmore. rapidly than the lower portion. Also, toprovide the proper taperto the package, the

traversing should be such that the spacing between adjacent turns of theyarn gradually increases from the base of thetapered portion, indicatedat a in; Figs. 4a and 4b, toa maximum at the top of the bobbin. Belowthe line a the guiding edge of the belt has a constant slope to providethe uniform wind of the cylindrical part of the package. Adjacent thehighest and lowest points of the upper edge of the traverse belt,corresponding to the top and bottom of the package, the slope of thetrailing edge is abruptlyincreased through a short distance as indicatedat I54 and I56 respectively. This abrupt change in curvature preventsbilling at the ends of the bobbin by compensating for the delay intransmitting to the point of application of wind on the bobbin theeffect of change in direction of traverse occasioned by the distancebetween the traverse belt and the bobbin.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the redraw frameof the invention when provided with a belt of the contour of Fig. 4 willwind packages such as that of Fig. 4b, in which the tapered andcylindrical portions are formed without change in length of traverse.Thus except at the upper and lower ends of the bobbin, there is nochange in direction of traverse and the resulting package hasconsequently less tendency to slough off than packages formed bymachines which vary the length of traverse or add a traverse action to abuilder motion. Due to the fast wind at the upper end of the bobbinresulting from the abrupt change of slope at the peaks of the contourededge of the traverse belt, the packages are formed with a wide angle ofwind at the tapered ends. Consequently creasing-in or trapping of yarnunder the upper bobbin fiange is avoided and drawing oif of yarnover-end from the packages is facilitated.

When it is desired to wind cylindrical packages, a belt of thecontour-of that shown in Fig. 5 may be employed. In this instance theyarn engaging edges have a constant slope except for the short stretchesI54 and I56 adjacent the highest and lowest points respectively of theupper edge of the belt; these short stretches, as

in the case of belt of Fig. 4, have a greater slope along the trailingedge to insure against hilling at the ends of the bobbin.

The operation of the above described mac ine will be readily understoodfrom the foregoing description. When the frame is in operation the driveshaft which is driven from the frame motor (not shown) drives thespindle drive shaft 3% through the belt 26 and pulleys 24 and 2B and thespindle drive shaft, through belt 38 and pulley 34 drives the spindlesand, through the variable pitch pulley 50, belt 52 and the gear train,drives the shaft of drum 42. Rotation of drum 42 causes unidirectionaltravel of the traverse belt I02 past each spindle which in turn causesthe yarn, drawn from the creel by the rotating spindles, to traverse thespindles in accordance with the contour thereof. Drive shaft 18, throughshaft 92, gears 88 and 98 rotates cam 72 which, through shoe it causescyclical variations in the pitch of pulley 50 and thereby varies theratio between the rate of rotation of the spindles and the rate oftravel of the traverse belt. This cyclical variation is small,preferably of the order of about five percent. The shape of thecompleted package will depend, as heretofore described in connectionwith Figs. 4 and 5, upon the contour of the particular traverse beltused in the machine, belts with contours of uniform slope buildingcylindrical packages, and those with contours concave upward buildingtapered packages.

As the vertical distance between the highest and lowest points of thecontoured edge of the belt determines the axial length of package to bewound, the bobbins used on the frame should have a length of barrelcorrelated to the particular traverse belt or, conversely, the traversebelt should be designed with reference to the particular bobbin to beused on the machine. Preferably, bobbins of the general proportionsshown in Fig. 4a having a barrel length of about 5 /2 inches areemployed when the package is to have the tapered form shown in Fig. 4b.Such a bobbin forms the subject matter of a co-pending application ofthe present applicant, Ser. No.

122,626, filed October 21, 1949, now abandoned. When a bobbin of theproportions illustrated in Fig. 4a and of the size specificallydescribed in said application is wound with 100-40-3 acetate (100 endsof 40 denier per filament twisted three times per inch) using a traversebelt contoured as in Fig. 4, a package is formed that weighs about oneand one tenth pound and that is suitable for use as the yarn supply in atwo-for-one twister. The redraw frame of the present invention can windsuch package in substantially less time than conventional redraw framesin which the packages are formed on horizontally disposed axes can windpackages of lesser weight. For example, 1%.; pound packages have beenwound on the new machine in one and one quarter of an hour, using aspindle speed of 4000 R. P. M. and a traverse belt speed such that therate of traverse was 54 cycles per minute, the particular belt having apeak to peak length measured along the belt of four feet and moving atan average speed of about 220 feet per minute. This is a substantialimprovement over redraw frames now in use which have a rate of spindlerotation of about 900 R. P. M. or less. Such machines require about fivehours to wind a pound package.

The invention has now been described with reference to one specificembodiment thereof. Obviously various changes in the construction of thespecific redraw frame illustrated in the drawing could be made and partscould be added or omitted without departing from the spirit of theinvention. For example although in the particular machine illustrated inthe drawings, yarn is delivered over the upper contoured edge of atraverse belt which is frictionally driven by a rotating drum, obviouslythe lower edge rather than the upper edge of the belt could be contouredand the yarn fed thereunder, and chain or other drive means for thetraverse belt could be employed if desired. Various shapes of packagesother than those specifically described could be produced by suitablyvarying the contour of the belt. For example, if the contour near thebottom of the troughs or dales is curved so as to accelerate thetraverse at the lower end of the bobbin and the contour near the peaksis also so curved, packages roundly tapering at both ends will beformed, with or without a central cylindrical portion, depending uponwhether or not an intermediate section of the contour has a constantslope. On the other hand, if the contour of the belt were such as toprovide uniform rate of traverse near the ends of the barrel of a bobbinwith accelerated and decelerated traverse over the central portion,packages with cylindrical end portions and restricted central portionswould be formed. Thus the invention provides a method and means forforming substantially any desired form of yarn package and such packagedue to the fact that it will be formed of successive layers eachextending the full length of the package, will have less tendency toslough oif when handled than packages wound with a traverse length lessthan the full length of the package.

The following is claimed:

1. A textile winding machine comprising a plurality of substantiallyvertically disposed rotatable spindles adapted to support bobbins, drivemeans for said spindles, an endless sheet member having a contour alongone edge defining a succession of hills and dales, the difierencebetweenthe maximum and minimum widths of the sheet member beingsubstantially equal to the length of the package to be wound on abobbin,-

means for moving. said sheet member unidirectionally in a fixed closedpath adjacent said spindles, support means for yarn supply packages andmeans for guiding yarn from a supply package to a: bobbin, said guidemeans being positioned to cause the contoured edge of the sheet memberto be engaged by the yarn in its travel to a bobbin whereby the yarn iscaused to traverse the bobbin in accordance with the hills and dales ofthe contoured edge of said sheet member.

2'. The winding machine according to claim 1 wherein said means formoving said sheet member includes a pair of rotatable drums encompassedby said sheet member and means for driving one of said drums.

3. The winding machine according to claim 2 wherein saidmeans fordriving one of said drums includesmeans for cyclically varying the rateof rotation-thereof.

4-. The winding machine according to. claim. 1 including meanspreventing displacement of the yarn.- in the direction of travel of thesheet memher.

5. A- textile winding machine comprising a, plurality of substantiallyvertically disposed rotate-- ble spindles each adapted to carry awinding core, support means for yarn supply packages, yarn guide meansfor leading yarn from a, package to a winding core, means engageable bythe yarn in itstravel from. said guide means to a core for causing theyarn to traverse the core during winding thereon, said traverse meanscomprising an endless sheet member having a contour along one edgedefining a series of hills and dales, the difierence between the widthof the sheet member at the bottom of a dale and that at the peakof anadjacent hill being substantially equal to the length of package to bewound on a core, the yarn. engaging said contoured edge, and means forrotating said spindles and for moving said sheet member in a fixed pathadjacent said spindles.

6; In a. winding machine of the type wherein a plurality of spindles arerapidly rotated to draw yarn from supply packages for winding on corescarried by the spindles, the combination comprising an endless flexiblebelt having a contouredv edge positioned for travel of yarn thereoverduring the windingoperation and means for moving said belt in adirection substantially at right angles to the direction of travel ofthe yarn in approaching the cores to cause the path of each yarn end tobe deflected parallel to the axis of the associated core in accordancewith the contour of the belt, said contoured edge comprising asuccession of hills and dales, the transverse distance between thenarrowest and widest parts of the belt being substantially equal to theaxial length of packages to be wound on the cores.

7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein at least a part of thecontoured edge of the belt between the base of a dale and the peak ofthe adjacent hill is straight whereby a corresponding length of thepackages wound on the cores will be cylindrical in shame.

8. The combination according to claim 6 wherein a part of the contourededge of the belt is in the form of a curve increasing in slope to amaximum at the peak of each hill whereby a correspondin length of thepackages wound on the cores will be tapered in shape.

9. The combination, with a winding machine of the type wherein ends ofyarnare drawn from.

supply packages. by rotation of vertical spindles carrying cores uponwhich the yarn is wound, of a traversing means determinative of the.shape of the packages to be wound comprising an endless flexible belthaving one: straight edgeand the other edge out inthe form of a; seriesof hills and dales so that the width. of the belt varies along itslength from a minimum at the bottom: of each dale to a maximum at thepeak or each-- hill, means for causing unidirectional travel of saidbelt in a fixed circuitwi-th its straight-edge in a horizontal plane andwith one face adjacent the spindles, and yarn guide means positioned. tocauseyarnin traveling fromthe supply packages to the winding cores toengage said con.- toured edge of the belt for traverse thereby oiv thecores, the contour of said belt between the bottom of a dale and thenext succeeding peak having. a constant slope for a portion of. itsdistance and a gradually increasing slope for therest of its distancewhereby the shape of each. package wound on the machine is, cylindricalfor a portion of its length and. tapered for the remainder of its.length.

10. A textile winding machine comprising a plurality of rotatablespindles adapted to support winding. cores, drive means for saidspindles, an endless'sheet member having a contour along one edgedefining a succession of hills and. dales, the maximum transversedistance between thebottom of a dale and the peak: of a hill beingsubstantially equal to the length of package to be wound on a core,means for moving said sheet member in a fixed pathadjacent saidspindles, support means for yarn supply packages and means for guidingyarn from a. supported supply package to a winding core, said guidemeans being positioned tocause the contoured edge of the sheet membertobe engaged by the yarn. in. its travel to a winding core whereby theyarn is caused: to traverse the winding core in accordance with thehills and dales of the contoured edge of said sheet member.

11. The textile'winding machine according to claim 10 wherein thecontour of'said sheet mem-- ber between the bottom of a dale and thenext:

succeeding peak has a constant slope for a portion of its distance and.a gradually increasing slope for the rest of its distance whereby. theshape of each. package wound on the machine is cylindrical for a portionof its length and tapered. for the-remainder of its length NORMAN E.KLEIN.

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